DVD Review for April 29, 2014

LABOR DAY
PG-13
Stars: Kate Winslet, Josh Brolin
Plot: An escaped convict hides in the house of a single mother and her son for a long weekend hoping to elude the police and make a break for the border.
Trailer

Clint Says: Rent it if you have nothing better to do

It's easy to see why this movie was released in theaters in January. It really has nothing to offer the audience for the first 90 minutes of the movie. Josh Brolin plays a compelling anti-hero, but the script doesn't give him much with which to work. LABOR DAY is full of contrived suspense and the fact that the main characters fall madly into lifelong love over the course of a long weekend makes the This-Feels-Fake Meter move a lot.

If you're looking for a slow-moving, slightly suspenseful love story you may like this movie, but chances are you'll just be disappointed and wanting a large slice of homemade peach pie.



THE LEGEND OF HERCULES
PG-13
Stars: Kellan Lutz, Gaia Weiss
Plot: The story of Hercules from shunned child to strong demi-god.
Trailer

Clint Says: If you have to see this, make someone else rent it

Can somebody please make a great movie of the story Hercules? This movie misses the mark in every way possible. First off, he's a demi-god with super-human powers and he only uses them twice. What!? Second, there are plot holes you could drive a truck through. Third, the graphics (which most of this movie is done in CGI) look like they were done in 1998. Fourth, the 3D version uses gimmicky 3D tricks to make the movie look more intense, but audiences are over that now. Finally, I thought that dialogue was important to a movie, I guess the execs on this film disagree with me.

The only audience that will find this movie enjoyable are males between 17 and 22. Everyone else shouldn't bother.


GIMME SHELTER
PG-13
Stars: Vanessa Hudgens, Rosario Dawson, Brendan Fraser
Plot: A teen girl grows up between an abusive mom and a neglectful foster care system. When she finds herself pregnant she goes against everyone's advise and decides to keep her baby.
Trailer

Clint Says: Buy this DVD

This, based on a true story film, is very difficult to watch, but it is amazing and powerful. Hollywood critics are panning this movie, but audiences love it. Hudgens and Dawson both give the best performances of their careers. If this movie weren't so anti-Hollywood in the decisions made by the main character I believe it would have been released in December and been up for several awards.

Movies like this should be supported by all of us, but just know that it is a tough film with a tough subject matter.



DEVIL'S DUE
R
Stars: Allison Miller, Zach Gilford
Plot: An expecting newlywed couple begins to expect dark things may have happened the night they can't remember from their honeymoon.
Trailer

Clint Says: Don't even bother

This movie is a complete waste of time. Even people that love all horror flicks thought this one was stupid.  If you want to see the best thing this movie had to offer, watch this video of the devil baby prank they did to market this film.

DVD Review for April 15, 2014

THE SECRET LIFE OF WALTER MITTY
Rated PG
Stars: Ben Stiller, Kristen Wiig
Plot: A man leading an otherwise dull life, escapes by dreaming up wild adventures, but dreams become reality when he must embark on the adventure of a lifetime.
Trailer

Clint Says: Go buy this DVD now

This is one of my top three movies of 2013. It is heart-warming, funny, inspiring, beautiful, touching and exciting all at the same time.

When I first saw the trailer for MITTY I immediately had unfair expectations of how good I wanted the movie to be. Incredibly, this film surpassed my expectations. I found myself grinning from ear to ear nearly the entire movie.

Wiig and Stiller have a great, but awkward chemistry that works well for the film. This is one of those films that comes along every so often that you want to stand up and cheer the good guy along.



RIDE ALONG
Rated PG-13
Stars: Kevin Hart, Ice Cube
Plot: A diminutive school security guard must convince one of the toughest cops on the Atlanta PD that he is worthy of marrying the cop's sister.
Trailer

Clint Says: Rent this movie this week

While there is a lot about this movie that is predictable, it's an excellent platform for the comedy of Kevin Hart and Ice Cube as his straight man.

If you've not seen Kevin Hart in action, RIDE ALONG is a perfect gateway into his style of comedy.




THE NUT JOB
Rated PG
Stars: Will Arnett, Brendan Fraser, Liam Neeson
Plot: An exiled squirrel must decide whether to help the hungry animals in the park or keep the biggest stash of nuts they've ever seen all to himself.
Trailer

Clint Says: Renting it one time for the kids will be more than enough

I'm not really sure who this movie is supposed to please. It is too boring for adults to sit though and some of the plot is too complicated for little kids to follow along. Most of the laughs come in the form of potty humor or predictable slapstick. I took my four year old daughter and she hated it. She said it was "a boy movie". Maybe if you have an eight year old boy you'll have better luck, but I doubt it.




PHILOMENA
Rated PG-13
Stars: Judi Dench, Steve Coogan
Plot: A journalist helps a woman find the child she was force to give up years ago.
Trailer

Clint Says: Buy this DVD

PHILOMENA is one of those little movies that could. Nominated for four Academy Awards and a couple of dozen other awards as well, this film is most assuredly worth seeing.

Judi Dench's character is both beautifully charming because of her personality and heart-breakingly empty because of the loss of her first-born. Steve Coogan character also has an interesting story arc that gives the audience a glimpse at an unlikely, messy, but well-timed relationship between the main characters.

If you need a little bit of heart-warming quirkiness in your life PHILOMENA will help fill that void.

Movie Review for January 24, 2014

I, FRANKENSTEIN
Rated R
Stars: Aaron Eckhart, Bill Nighy
Plot: 200 years after his creation, Frankenstein's monster finds himself in a battle between demons and gargoyles
Trailer
Clint Says: Wait for the DVD and let someone else rent it

After seeing the trailer, my first thought was, "this could either be really good or really bad." Unfortunately, it is really bad. And even more unfortunate, they set it up for possible sequels. Bill Nighy is one of my favorite actors and even he couldn't come close to saving this boring, uncompelling, go-through-the-motions, snoozer.



GIMMIE SHELTER
Rated R
Stars: Vanessa Hudgens, Rosario Dawson, Brendan Fraser
Plot: A teen girl grows up between an abusive mom and a neglectful foster care system. When she finds herself pregnant she goes against every one's advise and decides to keep her baby
Trailer
Clint Says: Wait until after opening weekend, but see this movie in theaters

This, based on a true story film, is very difficult to watch, but it is amazing and powerful. Hollywood critics are panning this movie, but audiences love it. Hudgens and Dawson both give the best performances of their careers. If this movie weren't so anti-Hollywood in the decisions made by the main character I believe it would have been released in December and been up for several awards.

Movies like this should be supported by all of us. Go watch it today, but just know that it is a tough film with a tough subject matter.